Just Write It!

I’m going to dive right in and tell you~ write it. Just write it! Whatever bits and pieces of your story are in your mind, write- them- down.

I give this advice from experience and from the heart, and here are five reasons why:

1. If it sucks, you can edit it later

Too many people hold back on their stories because what they have in their minds isn’t really great. It’s alright, but meh. It’s a bit of something, but not much. It’s clumsy and there’s not much prose there. But that’s alright, because you can fix and edit it later. But…

You can’t edit what isn’t there.

You can’t have a second draft without a first draft. Let your first draft be ugly. The first draft can look as ugly as a newborn vulture, and that’s okay! The first draft is simply a general sketch, something to work from. It’s a vital imperfect step to get to your final creation.

Who said I’m ugly??? -baby vulture

2. Once a scene is on paper, it expands

I am currently on the second draft of my WIP, and I noticed something awesome~ when I first write a scene, it is bare-bones. But then my mind keeps thinking about it, and more details begin to materialize.

Writing a scene is like making a blueprint for a home.

Once you have a blueprint (very simple lines and measurements), you start to say “Hey, a bay window will look good here” and “Maybe this nook will be perfect for a nice reading corner.” It is from the blueprint that your mind begins to create and expand and add!

3. Your first draft is like a broken puzzle

When you just write whatever is on your mind, you’re putting puzzle pieces out there. Doesn’t matter if they don’t quite fit. The puzzle pieces will eventually come together to form a clear picture.

You can always move your scenes around for maximum tension and conflict.

Aww, a heart 🙂 Very nice!

When you Just Write It!, things can get messy. But you can always read through, find how you want the story to flow, then rearrange scenes so that the story rises in conflict and reaches a nice climax. But you have to write the scenes before you can move them!

4. An ugly first draft is a starting point

*facepalm* Why didn’t I think of this before? The second draft of my WIP has been a pretty laid-back and fun experience. Why? Because I’m working from a first draft.

Having an ugly first draft to work from is easier than having no draft to work from.

Love is sweeter the second time around, and so is your novel. I am super glad that I wrote my first draft like a maniac, because now I have something clear to work from. It’s been amazing~ I cannot recommend it enough.

5. Write it down, because you’ll forget

Well, this one I learned the hard way. You know the scenario: You’re in the shower, and the perfect scene or dialogue pops in your head. You think, “I’ll jot it down as soon as I’m done,” then you proceed to wash your butt for twenty more minutes.

You say you’ll remember, but you won’t. Trust me, you won’t!

He done forgot what he was going to write.

Writing down everything ASAP ensures that you capture all of your ideas. Not everything that comes out of your imagination will make it to the story, but at least you have a bunch of creative pieces to work with. And if you write it down, you are less likely to forget it.

Write, write, write!

These are a few things I’ve learned as I’ve been working on this new project of mine, and I hope this advice helps you on your own writing goals!

Take care and write on,

YariGarciaWrites

🌸 🌜🌸 🌜🌸 🌜🌸 🌜🌸 🌜🌸 🌜🌸 🌜